Basking in the sun with a book by the beach? Yes, please. For many, few summer activities can top the relaxation that comes from reading. However, the easiest way to ruin this beloved pastime often comes from choosing uninteresting or unsatisfactory literature. These books will be sure to honor that precious beach time. 

Stay Sweet by Siobhan Vivian

This book follows Amelia, the “Head Girl” at her town’s famous ice cream truck, as she navigates old friendships, newfound love, and stories from the past during the summer of a lifetime. Amelia has worked with her best friend Cate at her small town’s ice cream truck every summer for three years. But this year, Molly, the truck’s elderly owner, passed away unexpectedly and left Amelia behind with no direction and worst of all, no recipes. Amelia has to work with Grady, Molly’s arrogant but attractive grandnephew, to try and discover Molly’s secret to her famous ice cream. A sweet summertime romance, Stay Sweet offers a lighthearted story perfectly paired with an afternoon at the pool.

The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare

A historical fiction novel, the Witch of Blackbird Pond takes place in colonial America, with seaside Connecticut being the primary setting. The book follows Kit, a spunky girl from Barbados and the granddaughter of a wealthy merchant there. After his passing, Kit departs from her country in search of her remaining family, who happen to be settlers in New England. It doesn’t take long for everyone to realize that Kit does not fit in, and the novel follows her unorthodox ways of life. She befriends her young cousins, learns to respect her strict uncle, and even eventually finds love. This book transports readers to the distant past, and can be the perfect beach read for those who enjoy a trip away from reality. 

Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo

Now accompanied by a Netflix show, Six of Crows can be the perfect literary obsession for the summertime. The original duology follows a group of teenage outcasts as they embark on a heist that will make them rich beyond their wildest dreams. Eventually, the plot spirals as they get wrapped up in the political state of the Grishaverse, and find fierce companionship in each other as they become vigilantes. Their stories continue in the Shadow and Bone series, which expands on the backstories of the characters and highlights the magic introduced in the first series. Between the original Crows, the show, and Bardugo’s other additions to the Grishaverse, readers can never get bored with this incredible literary universe.